Extensible sled



P 6, 1955 c. A. THOMAS 2,717,159

EXTENSIBLE SLED Filed March 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. CLIFFORD 4 THO/1'48,

P 6, 1 55 c. A. THOMAS 2,717,159

EXTENSIBLE SLED Filed March 20, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent ()flice 2,717,159 Patented Sept. 6, 1955 EXTENSIBLE SLED Clifford A. Thomas, Cumberland, Md.,assignor of onehalf to Richard Diamond, Cumberland, Md.

Application March 20, 1953, Serial No. 343,733 2 Claims. (Cl. 28012) This invention relates to an extensible sled and his for its primary object to support one or more persons thereon and to facilitatethe handling of the sled when in use by a single occupant.

Another object is to produce in a single sled an item which may be adjusted throughout a range of sizes to accommodate one or more persons.

A further object is to preserve the strength of the sled throughout the range of sizes to which it may be extended.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a sled embodying the features of this invention showing it in its collapsed position;

Figure 2 is a bottom in Figure I;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the sled in a partially extended. position;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the forward end of the lowermost telescopic section of the sled.

Referring to the drawings in detail, this improved sled comprises a forward section designated generally'lt) and a rear section designated generally 12. The forward sled section comprises spaced parallel runners each comprising vertically spaced channels 14 and 16, the flanges of which are disposed toward one another to form guides for the channels of the runner portions of the second or rearmost section 12. Carried by and extending between the channels 14 and 16 are struts 18 which, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, are secured to the flanges of the channels 14 and 16 which are disposed toward the outside of the sled structure to define with the channels 1-4 and 16 trussed forward runner sections of the sled. and extending forwardly from the channels 14 are curved runner extensions 20 which curve upwardly as they recede from the channels 14, as will be readily understood upon reference to Figures 1 and 3. As illustrated in the plan view of the sled illustrated drawings, the upper channels 16 project forwardly for a short distance beyond the forward ends of the lower channels 14 above the runner extensions 20 and pivotally connected at 22 to the forward extensions of the channels 16 adjacent their forward ends are levers 24 which, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, are pivotally connected remote from the pivots 22 to the'forward upturned ends of the runner extensions 20 and pivotally connected to the levers adjacent their connection to the runner extensions is a transversely extending link 26 by means of which the levers 24 are moved about the pivots 22 to flex the runner extensions 20 when steering the sled. Carried by the upper channel members 16 and extending transversely across the sled is a supporting bar 28 to which the forward end of the forward bed section of the sled is coupled, as will be more fully hereinafter described.

Secured to and extending across the top of the sup- Carried by braces 62 are connected tially midway between porting bar 28 is a head unit 30 having a forwardly projecting extension 32 to which is pivotally connected a steering lever 34 which extends forwardly from the exten'- sion 32 substantially midway between opposite sides the sled and is pivotally connected at its forward end to the link 26 so that as the lever 34 is moved about its pivotal connection to the extension 32, the link will move the levers 24 to cause the runner extensions 20 to flexand effect a steering of the sled. The steering lever'34 is provided with a conventional transversely extending handle bar 36 by means of which the lever 34* may be moved in its arcuate path aboutv its pivotal connection to the extension 32. Carried by and extending rearwardly from the head 30 are longitudinally extending spaced slats 32 defining between them longitudinal slots 34, the. purpose of which will hereinafter appear. The centermo'st slat 32 of the group of slats carried by the head 30 is provided with a longitudinal'row of longitudinally spaced open ings 36, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. The structure so far described defines a forward sled sec tion for cooperation with the rear sled section now to be described.

The rear sled section above referred to comprises vertically spaced channel members 38 and 40 WhiCh are held in vertically spaced parallel relation by transversely extending struts 42 with the flanges of the channels 38 and 40 facing one another to define runner sections capable of telescoping into the runner sections as defined by the channels 14, 16 and struts 1'8 with thechannels 38 slidably entering the channels 14 and the channels 40 slidably entering the channels 16. Upwardly and forwardly extending braces 44 are carried by the channels 38 adjacent the ends thereof remote from those which telescope into the channels 14 and these braces are joined to the channels 40 remote from the ends thereof which enter the channels 16 to cooperate with the struts 42 inretaining the rear ends of the channels rigid and in proper alignment. Carried by and extending transversely between the channels 40 adjacent the rear ends thereof is a supporting bar 46 which is provided adjacent opposite ends with diagonally downwardly extending braces 48 which are attached adjacent their lower ends to the channels 38 to rigidify the rearmost ends of the trussed structures defined by the channels 38, 40 andstruts 42.

A tailpiece 50 is carried by the uppermost channels 40 adjacent the rear ends thereof and extends transversely across the sled, as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings. Carried by and extending forwardly from the tailpiece 50 are transversely spaced longitudinal slots 52 which as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 are adapted to have their ends remote from the tailpiece 50 entered into the slots 34 defined between the slats 32 of the forward sled section 10. And carried by and extending transversely beneath the slats 52 adjacent the forward ends thereof is a supporting bar 54 which is provided adjacent opposite ends with return bends 56 which are adapted to embrace the slats 32 adjacent the extreme opposite sides of the sled. A similar supporting and reinforcing bar 58 is carried by the slats 32 adjacent the ends thereof remote from the head 30 and carried by and extending diagonally downwardly from the bar 58 are braces 60, the lower ends of which are connected to the channels 14 to rigidify the trussed structures defining the forward runner sections of the sled. Similar to the supporting bar 28 substanopposite ends thereof and extend downwardly and rearwardly and are connected to the channels 14 adjacent the forward ends thereof.

With the slats 32 and 52 assembled as illustrated in the drawings, and the trussed runner sections of the rearmost sled section telescopically entering the trussed runner sections 14 of the forward sled section 10, it will be obvious that the sections may be moved longitudinally to selected positions to provide a sled of a chosen length. A suitable stop pin 64 is mounted in the opening 36 furthest from the head 30 and extends into the path of movement of the cross bad 54 so as to limit the extension of the sled and prevent the entire separation of the parts. The cross bar 54 is provided substantially midway between opposite ends with an opening which is adapted to align with an opening 36 selected from the longitudinal row of openings in the centermost slat 32 for receiving a bolt 66 for holding the sled sections in selected extended relationship.

In use, it will be evident that the sled may be employed in collapsed form, as suggested in Figure 1, in which case the bolt 66 will be thrust through the endmost opening 36 adjacent the head 30. When it is desired to extend the sled, the bolt 66 is extracted from the endmost opening 36 adjacent the end 30 and the rear section 12 of the sled moved longitudinally to a selected position with the bolt 66 thrust through an opening intermediate the forward and rear ends of the sled section 10. With the bolt thus extending through a selected opening 36, the sled sections will be rigidly held against relative longitudinal movement and the slats 32 and 52 will cooperate in forming a bed upon which may rest the occupant or occupants of the sled. Due to the braces 62, it Will be evident that as the runner extensions 20 are flexed laterally by moving of the handle bar 35, the forward ends of the channels 14 will be rigidly supported so that the channels 14 will be held in spaced parallel relation throughout their lengths. The channels 14 and 38 co: operate in forming the runner members upon which the sled is supported when in use and because of the braces,

60, the rear ends of the runner members or channels 14 are also rigidly held so that the channel members remain at all times in spaced parallel relation.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. An extensible sled including spaced parallel runners each comprising a pair of vertically spaced channels having their open sides in opposed relation, struts carried by the channels and extending therebetween to define with said channels a trussed structure, a second pair of vertically spaced channels having their open sides in opposed relation, and extending therebetween to define with said second pair of channels a second trussed structure capable of struts carried by the second mentioned channels .trussed structure, a group of transversely spaced telescoping into the first mentioned trussed structure with the channels of the secondmentioned trussed structure slidably fitting into the channels of the first mentioned longitudinally extending slats carried by the first mentioned trussed structure, a second group of transversely spaced longitudinally extending slats carried by the second trussed structure, the slats of the second group of slats extending into the spaces between the slats of the first group of slats and cooperating with said first group of slats in forming a bed carried by the runners, and a reinforcing cross member carried by the slats of the second group of slats and extending transversely across the sled beneath the first group of slats for guiding said slats and cooperating with them in supporting weight imposed on the bed.

2. An extensible sled including spaced parallel runners each comprising a pair of vertically spaced channels having their open sides in opposed relation, struts carried by the channels and extending therebetween to define with said channels a trussed structure, a second pair of vertically spaced channels having their open sides in opposed relation, struts carried by the second mentioned channels and extending therebetween to define with said second pair of channels a second trussed structure capable of telescoping into the first mentioned trussed structure with the channels of the second mentioned trussed structure slidably fitting into the channels of the first mentioned trussed structure, a group of transversely spaced longitudinally extending slats carried by the first mentioned trussed structure, a second group of transversely spaced longitudinally extending slats carried by the second trussed structure, the slats of the second group of slats extending into the spaces between the slats of the first group of slats and cooperating with said first group of slats in forming a bed carried by the runners, a reinforcing cross member carried by the slats of the second group of slats and extending transversely across the sled beneath the first group of slats for guiding said slats and cooperating with them in supporting weight imposed on the bed, and means extending through a slat of the first mentioned group of slats and cooperating with the reinforcing cross member in holding the trused structures and slats in selected longitudinal relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 48,178 Hussey June 13, 1865 51,188 Hussey Nov. 28, 1865 398,776 Finch et a1. Feb. 26, 1889 1,583,693 Kratft May 4, 1926 1,722,012 Michilli July 23, 1929 

